The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1887-04-09

the grave stranger, and her own face
seemed to catch the shadow from it,
growing almost as grave as his. She
gave more finish and completeness to this
picture than she had bestowed upon the
first.
AS she was about to hand it to the
original sudden impulse caused her
to withhold it, an arch smile took the
place of her gravity, and bending low
her head, till the curls fell over and con-
cealed her work, she added few lines
about the mouth and brow; then with
laugh dancing in her eyes, she placed
it in his hand. elera
1t was his face, as real and vivid al
most as its reflection in glass; but his
face was TRANSPORTED. The cloud of
sadness was replaced by smile; such
warm, frank, glowing smile as glad
dens the heart to see it; the real SUM-
shine of feeling.
At first he looked at it in a puzzled
way, as if wondering what she had done
to his face, until his companion, looking
over his shoulder, uttered an exclama-
tion of surprise, and then burst out:
'Owen, l believe she has second sight
She has drawn you as you looked six
years ago in the college days. Old fell
low, if YOU knew how smiles become
you, you would not be so chary of them.
Ovens dark blue eyes frightened for
moment with something akin 10 the
smile that glorified them in the picture ;
then he smiled, and his face grew sad
again.
you are strange girl, he said, look
ing curiously at Muriel. do you know
what would give to feel again as you
have made me look?'
'You are rich, SUPPOSE answered
Muriel, simply; 'and you would give
your whole fortune-at least, / would,
in your place
A look of perfect agony swept across
his handsome face, and he cried, pas,
sionately:
Il would girl, l am very rich, and
would give ten times as great wealth, if
l had it, to bring back he stopped
abruptly, and turned away. He came
back Immediately, and again addressing
Muriel, thanked her for the picture; and
then, as she was turning away, he hesi-
tatingly asked her name.
'Muriel Doyle, she replied.
'And mine is Egbert Owen he said.
will you remember my name and me?'
She bowed, smiled, and walked light
ly away, never glancing back, though
she knew they watched her till the rocks
hid her from their sight.
'What handsome man he was, she
soliloquized, walking up the beach to-
wards her home. 'But how sad and
grave, and how sorrowfully he spoke. !
wonder what his trouble is? perhaps he
is in love and she wont have him. She
must be perfect idiot !
Muriel did remember Egbert Owen.
That was her first adventure, and he
was its hero, (for she scarcely thought
of the others); but she never expected
to meet him again.
The winter passed away and the sum-
mer came again, and with it came the
crowd of visitors to the new hotel.
Muriels quiet haunts were made to
ring with gaiety, and since their seclu-
sion was gone their chiefest charm was
lost for her. Yet still she sometimes
sought them, at times when she was not
likely to meet the fashionables. On
one of these occasions she was sitting
among the rocks when two women came
and sat down near her, but out of sight,
and talked.
Muriel scarcely heard them, until one
mentioned a familiar name; then she
listened intently.
YES one of them had remarked, 'she
was married yesterday to the banker
from Chicago
4 expected it long ago. sagely OBJ.
served lady number two. by the way,
did you ever hear of the affair between
her and Egbert Owen7'
mo, indeed; what about it9'
'She was engaged to him. said the
other. 1T was some years ago, before
he went to California. He just about
worshiped her, they say, and she pre-
tended to be very devoted 10 him; it is
likely she wanted his money. Well,
one day she got hold of that trumped.
up story about insanity in his family,
and she broke off the engagement, all in
flash.
The poor fellow was half crazy, but
she would not listen to one word from
him. She treated him shamefully, call.
ed him an impostor, and accused him
of deceiving her, and sent him away
halfmaddened. Mycousin, DR.. Thorne,
says if there had been particle of in
sanity in his veins, it would have shown
itself then. But that is all story. The
only instance of insanity in the family
was sort Of cousin by marriage; but
that was enough to make a rumor, ol
course
'And that explains Egbert Owens
melancholy ways, I suppose, queried
the other.
'Yes; he has never been the same
man since. He went off to California,
and only came back last year. He is
so changed, poor fellow. Was that the
lunch bell? Dear me we shall be late !!
and the two fastened up to the hotel.
And Muriel went home, and thought
more than ever of Egbert Owen.
The summer and the early autumn
waned, and the guests, one by one, went
home from the hotel by the sea, till only
two or three were left /; and Muriel tool
to walking on the sands and chasing the
surges again. She was standing on the